United Nations: Torture survivors from Iran should speak at UN when Iranian officials do.

When I was 16 years old, in January 1982 in Evin Prison in Tehran, Iran, two men took me to a small room and tied me to a bare wooden bed. I was lying down on my stomach. One of them lashed the soles of my feel with a length of cable. With every strike, I felt like my whole nervous system would explode and then would magically be put back together again, ready for the next strike. I hoped to lose consciousness, but it never happened. Later, I was raped over and over again. My crime was having been outspoken against the Iranian government in my high school and demanding a better education.

Today, 31 years after my arrest, Evin is still operational and thousands of political prisoners are tortured and raped behind its walls and many are executed. Quite often, at various UN meetings, Iranian officials are given the microphone to address the world. I ask the UN that every time it allows an Iranian official to speak, it also invite a torture survivor from Iran to speak at the same event. I ask the UN to give us the opportunity to look into the eyes of our torturers and bear witness to the horrific crimes committed against us. Please support survivors of torture by signing this petition!

Marina Nemat Author of Prisoner of Tehran and After Tehran

This petition was delivered to:

Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

United Nations High Commissioner for Human RightsNavi Pillay

Letter to

Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

United Nations High Commissioner for Human RightsNavi Pillay

Torture survivors from Iran should speak at UN when Iranian officials do.